Toxic
by Yuuka Yagami
Summary: Baralai is in Luca again, but not for what most people were thinking. Hey, the Praetor's allowed to have fun too, right? (Songfic. Hints of GippalBaralai.)


I came to a lull while writing **Stuck in Spira**, so I went a little off track and ended up with this. If you're just itching to get your hands on chapter 5, please feel free to read this while waiting. ^_^;

Note: I was in my Insane Mode while writing this. If you don't like Britney Spears and/or Toxic, or a certain someone singing to it, my apologies. Craaaaazy idea I had, lol.

Disclaimer: FFX-2 belongs to SquareEnix. The song Toxic belongs to Britney Spears. …I think.

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Toxic

People all over Spira wondered why the Praetor of New Yevon was going to be in Luca that day. Was he going to give an important speech like the one from three months back? Gippal was just as confused as everyone else as he allowed Paine to drag him into the crowded blitzball stadium. "Can't you just tell me what's going on, Dr. P?"

Paine shook her head, tugging on his arm tighter as they squeezed through a line of spectators and ran up the staircase. "I'm not saying anything."

"What?! What do you mean 'I'm not saying anything'?" Gippal exclaimed as they ran past more people. "Couldn't I just have watched Baralai's speech over a CommSphere or something?" He cursed to himself silently as he tripped over what looked like a group of Moogles. _'…What the hell?'_

The young Warrior grinned smugly as they drew near the stage. The stadium was dark inside, Gippal noticed, and the giant drum machina in the center was up and playing again, like it was during Lady Yuna's concert. "Baralai's giving no speech, Gippal…" Several spotlights lit up and pointed themselves at the center of the stage, focusing on the three figures standing there. An array of gasps, cheers, and screams could be heard from the crowd, mixing in with the upbeat music blaring from nearby speakers.

Gippal could've sworn his jaw dropped to the floor right then and there.

__

Baby, can't you see  
I'm calling  
A guy like you  
Should wear a warning  
It's dangerous  
I'm fallin'  


The females in the crowd began to scream like crazy. Ignoring the irritating screeches coming from every direction, Gippal searched the stage frantically for the one who was singing. Near the back he saw Lady Yuna and Cid's little girl dancing to the beat of the music, the two of them wearing their Songstress dresspheres and holding small microphones, but weren't actually using them. Their lips weren't moving, so who was singing?

__

There's no escape  
I can't wait  
I need a hit –

"BARALAI?!" He thought he was gonna have a heart attack.

There was the Praetor, singing and dancing to a strange pop song for all of Spira to see. His disheveled appearance was quite a shocker. Gippal's eye trailed upwards very slowly, taking in everything he saw to make sure it wasn't just an illusion. Normal boots, check. Green pants, check. Green coat, che – what the heck? Gippal blinked, then blinked again. The coat was gone, and apparently so was the white shirt underneath. Almost. Sort of, Gippal thought to himself. The gap in the center of the white shirt apparently had been made larger, exposing his tanned – and surprisingly – well-built chest. Finally seeing his face and silver-colored hair, the blond Al Bhed confirmed that the singer was indeed…Baralai.

__

  
– Baby, give me it  
You're dangerous  
I'm lovin' it

Baralai obviously knew he was there watching, and winked at his friend playfully as he sang those lines. His voice melted in perfectly with the song, hitting all the right notes at just the right time. He had a wonderful singing voice.

Gippal sweatdropped as he remembered how he used to make fun of his singing talents two years ago. Guess he was wrong to accuse Baralai of sounding like a girly-girl.

Wait a second… _'Did he just _wink_ at me?!'_

__

Too high  
Can't come down  
Losing my head  
Spinning 'round and 'round  
Do you feel me now

Yuna and Rikku sung along in the background, stepping back and forth in time with the beat. Baralai's dancing was just as intoxicating as his voice, leaving Gippal with nothing to do but get pulled in and watch with a dazed look on his face.

__

With a taste of your lips  
I'm on a ride  
You're toxic I'm slipping under  
With a taste of a poison paradise  
I'm addicted to you  
Don't you know that you're toxic  
And I love what you do  
Don't you know that you're toxic

Paine laughed to herself as she watched the Al Bhed from the corner of her eye; her attention being focused mainly on her other friends on stage. Good, Gippal wasn't walking away with a disgusted look on his face. He wasn't asking any questions either, like "why is he up there?!" and, "what happened to his shirt?!" She really didn't want to answer that. Leave it to Rikku and Yuna when the surprise concert was over. _'Things are going according to plan…'_

__

It's getting late  
To give you up  
I took a sip  
From my devil's cup  
Slowly  
It's taking over me

Did Rikku drug him? Had he gone insane? Maybe Shuyin had come back and possessed him one last time?

__

Was the world coming to some strange, twisted, singsong end?

Gippal had no clue. He stood, mouth gaping like a fish, beside a very amused red-eyed girl who couldn't help but grin.

__

Too high  
Can't come down  
It's in the air  
And it's all around  
Can you feel me now

Baralai continued to dance shamelessly, singing to the best of his ability, praying to the non-existent god Yevon that he wouldn't trip over a boot lace or mess up any lines. Judging by the look of the crowd – and the look on Gippal's face a couple rows away – he was doing a pretty good job so far.

__

With a taste of your lips  
I'm on a ride  
You're toxic I'm slipping under  
With a taste of a poison paradise  
I'm addicted to you  
Don't you know that you're toxic  
And I love what you do  
Don't you know that you're toxic

Gippal saw him throw a couple glances his way during the song, still giving out weird hints, making the Al Bhed think Shuyin really _did_ come back from the Farplane. The Baralai he knew would never in a thousand years act like some crazy singer in a boy band and strut his stuff like a cocky chocobo.

__

With a taste of your lips  
I'm on a ride  
You're toxic I'm slipping under  
With a taste of a poison paradise  
I'm addicted to you  
Don't you know that you're toxic  


The stage lights dimmed for several seconds, causing Rikku to shoot her cousin a panicked glance as they continued the performance. Yuna and Baralai got worried as the song began to lag, returning to its normal pace shortly afterward. Uh oh, what was happening to the music?

  
With a taste of your lips  
I'm on a ride  
You're toxic I'm slipping under  
With a taste of a poison paradise  
I'm addicted to you  
Don't you know that you're toxic  


Paine looked around and saw two stadium guards run towards the stage. She bit her lower lip and cringed. _'Busted. Show's over.'_

__

  
Intoxicate me now  
With your lovin' now  
I think I'm ready now  
I think I'm ready now  
Intoxicate me now   
With your lovin' now  
I think I'm ready now

Baralai ran towards the exit of the stadium, Yuna and Rikku just ahead of him. He turned around and blew a kiss to the blond over his shoulder, waving goodbye as he jumped off the glowing platform and disappeared into the dark hallway ahead. The crowd began an even louder uproar as the song came to an end, the lights all going out at once, leaving Gippal and everyone else in complete darkness.

"YRP, Mission Complete."

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R/R! ^_^;


End file.
